19 Lessons
Pkudei What Is the Worth of Shiny Gold?
If the Tabernacle had been built and the Shechina would not have dwelled in it, it would have been like a body without a soul. All its beauty and glory would be pointless; all the gold, silver, and precious stones adorning it would have been mere external trappings - shiny, but without their true meaning and essence...What worth is there to wealth and gold and financial stability and a large house, if the Divine Presence does not dwell within it...
Mishpatim Who Needs Torah-Based Civil Law??
This week's Torah reading of Mishpatim appears to be a major departure from the stories of our Patriarchs and the stories of Divine miracles that we have read until now, in that it is largely a list of civil laws: Who is responsbile for which damages under what circumstances, who pays if one ox gores another, how much a thief must compensate his victim, lost objects, majority rule, milk and meat, and much more. One of the questions we must ask is: Why did the Torah make rules for civil law in certain areas, and not leave them up to the will of the people in each society?
Ki Tisa Israel, Gentiles, & Gog U'Magog
Rav Zalman Baruch Melamed explains the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the era of Mashiach and Gog U'Magog.
Bo A Mighty Hand and an Outstretched Arm
Parashat Bo
God's taking the Jewish people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm made it clear that they had been chosen as the God's nation. When Israel suffers, God's name is desecrated. This fact guarantees the eternal existence of Israel.
Tetzave The Holy Temple: A World of Splendor
Parashat Tetzave
: The Torah portions dealing with the Tabernacle dispel the mistaken impression that the Torah directs man to confine himself to an abstract spiritual world and that the entire aim of the Jew should be to occupy himself with Torah and commandments.
Shmot Parashat Shmot
View From Above
Tzadikim and Yesharim, The Paradox, Comparable to the Stars, What's in a Name?, Everywhere, in Every Situation.
Va'era Parashat Vaera
Trusting in GOD
A Critical Midrash, Trust in God. A Long-Range Perspective, Silver Linings, The True Test.
Bo Parashat Bo
The Torah's Vision of Our National Role
1. Speaking Confidently 2. Why the Plagues? 3. Unraveling a Mishna 4. Subtle Distinction 5. A Two-Fold Duty
Yitro Parasht Yitro
Towards Nationhood
Three Eras. The World Thrives on Chesed. Seeds of a Nation. What Prompted Yitro to Come? Overcoming Amalek.
Mishpatim God and his Laws
Parshat Mishpatim
Meet a God Who Prays The task of Israel is to make their own will like God's will, to be similar to Him, and, as such, to bring about the appearance of the Divine element in our worldly existence.
Terumah Godly and Earthly
Parshat Terumah
"Between Heaven and Earth" The Holy Temple in Jerusalem is an earthly revelation of the Holy Temple which exists in the heavens, and so it is concerning everything which one finds in our world.
Tetzave Remembering Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda
Parshat Tetzaveh
Remembering Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda. We find ourselves once again faced with the question, how is it possible to educate others concerning the importance of the completeness <b>Land</b> of Israel, while at the same time stressing the importance of the complete unity of the <b>People</b> of Israel?